Andy Otten has officially departed Collingwood’s VFL program after three years at the club, choosing to “explore other opportunities” beyond the Magpies’ coaching structure.
Otten first joined Collingwood at the end of 2022, transitioning from previous coaching roles at Hawthorn and the Box Hill Hawks. For the 2023–24 seasons he worked as a development coach and assisted with the VFL side, honing his craft in talent pathways, match planning and developmental coaching. Ahead of the 2025 season, Otten was elevated to senior coach of Collingwood’s reserves (VFL) program, taking over from Josh Fraser. (
Under Otten’s guidance in 2025, the VFL side produced a strong regular season, winning 11 of 18 home-and-away matches — enough to return to finals contention. However, their finals run was cut short, bowing out in the Wildcard Round against Williamstown. Despite that, the season showed notable improvement and raised expectations of what the reserves setup might deliver in coming years.
In the club’s official announcement, Collingwood thanked Otten for his contributions, acknowledging that “after three years at the Club as a development coach and this season as VFL senior coach, Andy has decided to step away … to explore other opportunities.” The move adds to a broader coaching turnover at the Magpies, with other departures across the development and match‑day panels as Collingwood readies its staff structure for the next cycle. ( signal ambition: he may be seeking a fresh challenge, either within the AFL coaching ranks or elsewhere in the state leagues. His track record, particularly in development and reserves coaching, positions him as a plausible candidate for roles that demand both tactical acumen and player growth experience.
From Collingwood’s perspective, the club now faces a search for his successor and must ensure continuity in the pipeline connecting VFL performance to the senior list. The loss of a coach who was rising through the internal ranks will test the club’s ability to maintain consistency and align its development objectives with on‑field outcomes.
Whatever lies ahead, Andy Otten leaves with the respect of the club, and a portfolio of experience that should temper the transition to his next opportunity.
